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Activists dangle from Portland bridge in Shell Oil protest

PORTLAND, Ore. — Greenpeace activists lowered themselves with ropes from the deck of the St. Johns Bridge on Wednesday and dangled there in an effort to stall the departure of a Shell Oil vessel headed for Arctic waters.

Activists dangle from Portland bridge in Shell Oil protest

Protesting the departure of a Shell oil ship bound for the Arctic, 26 Greenpeace activists are hanging from the St. John's bridge in Portland, Oregon. They are joined by 60 'kayaktivists' blocking the river, and are prepared to stay for days.
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Greenpeace activists dangle from the St. Johns Bridge.(Photo: KGW/Sky8)

They were joined by as many as 60 "kayaktivists" who hoped to block the Royal Dutch Shell PLC icebreaker Fennica’s passage on the Willamette River.

Greenpeace said there were 26 people involved in dangling from the bridge, and those on the 13 ropes are prepared to stay for several days. Activists on the bridge were overseeing safety anchors for the ropes.

"We're prepared to stay as long as it takes to send a message from Shell and stop the Fennica from leaving," demonstrator Georgia Hirsty said.

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Shell Oil spokeswoman Megan Baldino said in a prepared statement "we respect the rights of individuals and groups to express their opinion, all we ask is that they do so within the confines of the law and maintain safety as their first priority. Safety is paramount. "

Greenpeace USA executive director Annie Leonard says delaying the icebreaker will give President Obama more time to reconsider giving Shell the last permit it needs to drill.

Opponents of Arctic drilling worry the area's remoteness and rugged conditions will hamper cleanup efforts in the event of a spill, risking devastation to a fragile marine ecosystem.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Activists dangle from the St. Johns Bridge and float on the Willamette River to try and prevent the departure of a Shell Oil icebreaker.(Photo: Louis Sierra/KGW)